Oxygen injection system



Feb. 23, 1965 R. E. MEYER ETAL OXYGEN INJECTION SYSTEM Original Filed May 26, 1960 ROBERT E. MEYER WILLIAM E. HELFR/CH United States Patent Ofiice anazai Patented Feb. 23, 1965 4 3,170,294 QXYGEN INJECTION SYSTEM Robert E. Meyer, Tequesta, Fla, and Wiliiam E. Heltrich, Glastonbury, Conn, assignors, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Continuation of application Ser. No. 32,059, May 26,

1%0. This application Mar. 20, 1963, Ser. No. 267,388 1 Claim. (Ci. 60-39.46)

This application is a continuation of application Serial No. 32,050, filed May 26, 1960, for Oxygen'lnjection System, now abandoned.

The present invention relates to an oxygen injection system for afterburners and ramjets and more particularly to an oxygen injection system for afterburners and ramjets which employs a particular type of flameholder struc- 'oxygen line is required to supply the necessary oxygen to the flameholders.

An object of the present invention is the provision of an improved oxygen injection system.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a unitary flameholder structure. 7

Still another object of the present invention is to'provide an improved structure for a plurality of concentric fiameholders which eliminates the need for individual flameholder oxygen injection lines.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic view of the afterburner portion of a jet engine, partly in vertical section.

FIG. 2 shows an end view of the device taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in FIG. 1 the afterburner region of a jet engine with the skin 10 removed showing the turbine rotor 9 and the oxygen injection line 2 entering through one of the bearing support struts 3 toward the inner bullet or body region 4 where the oxygen is injected. As the oxygen is injected into the inner body region 4 it strikes a baflie 11 which is fastened to the inner body region 4 by tabs 12. Bafiie 11 is dishshaped with its open end facing'downstream thus uniformly dispersing the oxygen in a radial direction outwardly toward the radial gutters 8. Fuel entering via line 7 is sprayed into the path of the gases.

The flameholders 5 are concentrically mounted in a unitary structure 6, said flameholders being concentric annular rings which are semi-circular in cross-section with the downstream portion being open. Although the fiameholders 5 are shown as being concentric annular rings semicircular in cross-section, applicants do not wish to be limited thereto, since it is obvious other forms of fiameholders may be used. The annular rings are of increasing diameters as they progress downstream. The flameholder structure 6 is provided with a plurality (four being shown) of interconnecting radial gutters 8, said radial gutters 8 being angular in cross-section and being open on their downstream side. Here also, applicants do not wish to be limited to the angular crosssection of the radial gutters8 as shown. They may have any shape known in the art. The purpose of these radial gutters 8 is to permit theoxygen which is injected at the inner bullet region 4 to travel radially via these radial gutters d and then enter into the fiameholders 5.

The reason the oxygen which is emitted from line 2 travels radially through said gutters 8 is due to the draft which is created at the outer extremities of said gutters 8 by the passing gases in that region. As the gasespass radially through the gutters 8 some of the oxygen is delivered to each of the flameholders 5, the radial gutters 8 serving the additional function of providing support for the fiameholders 5 and also acting as flameholders.

In positioning the flameholders, care must be taken to insure that the draft behind the radial gutters 8 is outward. This outward draft can be produced by correct aerodynamic design and positioning of the flameholders for each specific application. It is to be noted that the injection fluid must be a gas or vapor or be capable of vaporizing inside the bullet 4 in order for it to be transported to the individual flameholders 5 by means of the radial gutters 8. There is also shown in FIG. 1 the fuel injection line 7 and the turbine 9 which drives the compressor upstream (not. shown).

FIG. 2 which is an end view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 illustrates the concentric relationship of the flameholders with respectto each other and also their relationship to the radial gutters 8 which interconnects and supports the flameholders 5.

As pointed out earlier in the specification, the oxygen or other fuel such as hydrogen or hydrogen peroxide is supplied through the line 2 and is released in the inner bullet region 4. After striking battle 11, the vapor or gas travels radially through the radial gutters 8 which interconnects the fiameholders 5 and thus supplies oxygen to the fiameholders. As the oxygen is fed to the respective fiarneholders 5 it spills over the edges of the fiameholders to mix with the fuel-air mixture which is passing through the area between adjacent flameholders. By means of this system, the distribution of oxygen into the path of the fuel-air mixture is uniform thereby producing a homogeneous mixture of fuel, air and oxygen.

' Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claim, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

An oxygen injection system for a jet engine having a compressor, gas generating means, a turbine downstream of said gas generating means, an afterburner assembly located downstream of said turbine, said injection system comprising in combination, an inner body centrally located in said afterburner assembly, said inner body having a bullet like-configuration tapering rearward, an opening at the downstreamend of said inner body, a vertical wall having an aperture therein mounted in said inner body upstream of said opening, an oxygen injection line leading into said inner body, said oxygen line extending through said aperture and terminating on the downstream side of said vertical Wall, bafiie means located downstream of and in close proximity to the outlet of said oxygen in jection line, said battle means being formed by a dish shaped batlie, said dish shaped baflie being centrally located with respect to the outlet of said oxygen injection line, the open side of said dish shaped baffie facing in a downstream direction, a plurality of supporting tabs attached to said dish shaped baflie fixedly securing" said baffle to said inner body, said afterburner assembly comprising a plurality of radial gutters fixedly secured to the downstream end of said inner body, said radial gutters having an open side facing downstream, each of said gutters being interconnected with the interior of said inner body, a plurality of concentric flamelrolders each having an open side facing downstream and being interconnected with said radial gutters whereby the positioning of said bafile with respect to said radial gutters and the outlet of said oxygen line is such that oxygen emitted from said oxygen line will strike said bafiie at an angle which will uniformly reflect said oxygen into said radial gutters and convey it to said concentric flameholders thus providing a References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/60 Bailey 6039.72 X 3/60 Meyer et a1 6039.82 X

SAMUEL LEVINE, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL FEINBERG, Examiner. 

